Which are your favorite throws/takedowns?

The background to this question is that I'm fairly new to judo and would like to get an idea about which techniques might be worth paying a little extra attention to. I do realize that in the end I'm gonna have to find out for myself what works well with my particular physique, prefered tactics etc. but I still believe that it might be very useful to know which throws and takedowns more advanced practitioners find most effective.

I'd also be interested in knowing if there are any caveats with any techniques mentioned, i.e. if you're fond of a certain throw in judo competition because it often scores an ippon but you think it puts you in a poor position in situations where you'd be likely to have to continue the game on the ground etc.

Lately I have been working Uki Goshi (http://www.judoinfo.com/images/animations/blue/ukigoshi.htm). It is not fancy, not explosive, but I get it all the time. I used to love this throw but now I hate myself every time I use it. You don't even have to be fast with it. I pummel inside with my left (often accidently headbutting on the way in), get their wrist with my right hand and then its just a matter of time. It doesn't even happen fast its just that if you get that inside grip around their waist you totally own that guy.

I want to make morote seio nage from one side of the gi work. I always look good during uchi komi (don't we all?) but I can't land it in randori. I think its because I try it so often and everyone sees it coming from a mile away.

It depends a lot on your body type. I'm not an advanced practitioner by any means, but I've found a few throws that work for me. I'm a shorter, stocky guy (5'8", 195) with a low center of gravity, so I like putting people over my hips. My favorite "throw" lately has been to counterthrow with ura nage/sukui nage. I also have decent sacrifice throws, like uki waza and sumi gaeshi, thanks to ukemi I learned in aikido (see, aikido is useful for something -- even if that something is falling on your ass).

I like uki goshi as well, but it's not really a scoring technique at any decent level of judo.

You may want to ask your question at www.judoforum.com. Lots of very experienced judoka there.

one of my favorite has got to be tomoe nage...followed closely by Uki Waza..both very good if you can explode into it and surprise your opponent.

Also if you miss the tomoe nage you can sometimes slip right into juji gatame.

I've always been a big leg pick guy. I'm short and stocky as well (5' 8" and 190 or so) so the lower center of gravity helps.

Right now my favorite throw is an ankle pick te-waza. Right hand under the arm and around the back, left hand picks the ankle and step forward and throw.

Ashiwaza will be the best thing you can learn to start. Kouchi gari being the most important. That one single technique can led you to so many great positions. Once you learn how to use kouchi as a setup for a big throw or a knock down so you can get into newaza or an Ippon score it will make you a dangerous Judo player.

Ashiwaza will be the best thing you can learn to start. Kouchi gari being the most important. That one single technique can led you to so many great positions. Once you learn how to use kouchi as a setup for a big throw or a knock down so you can get into newaza or an Ippon score it will make you a dangerous Judo player.

True dat. Ouchi Gari & Kouchi Gari completely changed my standup game for the better. Lately I also find myself using Tai Otoshi more and more.

Sumi gaeshi and harai goshi are my go-to's.

O Toshi & Kosoto Gake... I like those two because if fairly good at getting the grip for those throws.

Osoto Gari, Ashiwaza, Uchimata, single leg, and knee block (actually Mongolian wrestling.) As a bigger guy anytime I can get some meat on someone and give them a good bump, things tend to work well.

As people mentioned, things depend on body type. If you're shorter, drop Seoi, and lots of the low attacks work great. For me, some of these moves tend to get me countered. Given, I need to get better at them, but there are definitely better throws for different body types.

Lot of comments by Judo players here...I don't mean to derail the thread, but I wonder, what throws/takedowns do the BJJ guys like to do? I'm somewhat familiar w/ single and double leg takedowns, and in my school I've noticed more of an emphasis on some hip throws. Plus, the few times I've started from standiing I've usually just pulled guard quickly and started working from my back.

counter-throws: because i suck at judo, but i often react fast. =)

i use sacrifice throws a lot, especially if i'm planning to do ne-waza, as is always the case in BJJ class. soto-makikomi, uki-waza, and tani-otoshi usually get them to the ground for me, without being terribly likely to land them on top of me.

you're gonna want to know osoto-gari and ippon seio-nage. osoto is effective against other newbs even when executed badly, so that's a throw you'll use for your entire judo career. ippon seio-nage is just.. well, you just have to learn it. some people take to it quicker than i have (i have a retardedly ineffective seio-nage), but it's an effective high-percentage throw which can also open opportunities for other throws like ko-uchi or osoto.

another high-percentage throw is uchi-mata, so you'll want to make that one a project too. my uchi-mata is also retarded, but i realize it's a winning throw and i'm trying to learn it. throwing an o-uchi-gari to get in close and then switching to an uchi-mata is a neat trick.

and like previous posters have said, ko-uchi-gari and o-uchi-gari are definitely a must. my o-uchi is better than my ko-uchi, but ko-uchi is definitely a project too.

since you're interested in transitions to groundwork, o-uchi-gari gets me caught in half guard or full guard pretty frequently (and i might just suck at the transition), whereas soto-makikomi lands me right into kesa-gatame pretty much every time.

anyway, have fun, read lots of articles on this very subject at www.judoinfo.com, and experiment in randori.

counter-throws: because i suck at judo, but i often react fast. =)

i use sacrifice throws a lot, especially if i'm planning to do ne-waza, as is always the case in BJJ class. soto-makikomi, uki-waza, and tani-otoshi usually get them to the ground for me, without being terribly likely to land them on top of me.

you're gonna want to know osoto-gari and ippon seio-nage. osoto is effective against other newbs even when executed badly, so that's a throw you'll use for your entire judo career. ippon seio-nage is just.. well, you just have to learn it. some people take to it quicker than i have (i have a retardedly ineffective seio-nage), but it's an effective high-percentage throw which can also open opportunities for other throws like ko-uchi or osoto.

another high-percentage throw is uchi-mata, so you'll want to make that one a project too. my uchi-mata is also retarded, but i realize it's a winning throw and i'm trying to learn it. throwing an o-uchi-gari to get in close and then switching to an uchi-mata is a neat trick.

and like previous posters have said, ko-uchi-gari and o-uchi-gari are definitely a must. my o-uchi is better than my ko-uchi, but ko-uchi is definitely a project too.

since you're interested in transitions to groundwork, o-uchi-gari gets me caught in half guard or full guard pretty frequently (and i might just suck at the transition), whereas soto-makikomi lands me right into kesa-gatame pretty much every time.

anyway, have fun, read lots of articles on this very subject at www.judoinfo.com, and experiment in randori.

very nice...thanks for the info!

Also if you miss the tomoe nage you can sometimes slip right into juji gatame.
i am having trouble picturing how this would work



my favorite is Harai Tsurikomi Ashi (double foot sweep) http://judoinfo.com/images/animations/blue/haraitsurikomiashi.htm

because i'm a taller, kinda lanky guy i'm **** at hipthrows, and this is my favorite footsweep.
i generally do combo's with this as the finisher

Some days I love Uchimata, some days I hate the bastard. Generally, those are days when we've been really working on it technically and my instinctive affinity for it crumbles under the scrutiny of my coaches.

Uchimata just seemed to click for me really early on and I've won most of my fights using it. Technically, I'm sure my Uchimata would make Kano cry, but it just seems to work for me. As long as I don't over think it.

Other favourites are Sasae, pulling onto my collar grip side and Harai Goshi, which is going great in practice, but refuses to work for real.

I've been working hard on Osoto Gari recently, because, well, it's Osoto Gari. Who wouldn't want to have a good Osoto?
I got a Yuko in a match with a cross body Osoto recently, which pleased me far more than it has any right to.
Actually, probably because I'm an Uchimata whore. I was just happy to get a score using something else!

Are u using the throws with the concept of competing in MMA/grappling or Judo?

for judo I love uchi mata, drop seio, Tai Otoshi and ko uchi gari